Insulated paneling for active sports

Abstract

An active-insulation paneling component and garments including an active-insulation paneling component. The active-insulation paneling component includes insulated panels separated by gussets. The gussets are configured to expand upon an outward pulling force to allow the active-insulation paneling component and/or garment to expand even where the active-insulation paneling component and/or garment are not manufactured from elastic materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jacket comprising:
 a torso portion having a front side and a back side, the torso portion including a plurality of insulated segments extending laterally;   a right sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a left sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a collar;   an active-insulation paneling component incorporated into the back side of the torso portion and attached to at least one of the plurality of laterally extending insulated segments, wherein the active-insulation paneling component includes alternating insulated panels and gussets, each of the insulated panels and gussets extending in a vertical direction, wherein each of the insulated panels is defined by a pair of finishing stitch lines that seal the insulated panels and fix folds of the gussets and different pairs of formation stitch lines; and   an elastic band directly attached to each of the gussets,   wherein the active-insulation paneling component is configured to expand from a closed state to an expanded state upon application of a pulling force, due to movement of at least one of the right sleeve or the left sleeve, to reduce range-of-motion restrictions of the jacket, and   wherein the elastic band is configured to assist with retraction of the active-insulation paneling component from the expanded state to the closed state.   
     
     
         2 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein a minimum length for each of the insulated panels is at least one-fourth a length of the jacket measured from a top of the collar to a bottom of the jacket at an end opposite the collar. 
     
     
         3 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein the active-insulation paneling component includes at least five of the insulated panels and at least four of the gussets. 
     
     
         4 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the active-insulation paneling component includes a first finishing stich line, a second finishing stich line, a first formation stitch line, a second formation stitch line, a third formation stitch line, a fourth formation stitch line, and a fifth formation stitch line;   the first formation stitch line and the second formation stitch line form borders of a first insulated panel of the insulated panels;   the second formation stitch line and the third formation stitch line form borders of a first gusset of the gussets;   the third formation stitch line and the fourth formation stitch line form borders of a second insulated panel of the insulated panels; and   the fourth formation stitch line and the fifth formation stitch line form borders of a second gusset of the gussets;   the first finishing stitch line seals first ends of a plurality of the insulated panels and fixes folds within a plurality of the gussets; and   the second finishing stitch line seals second ends of the plurality of the insulated panels.   
     
     
         5 . The jacket of  claim 4 , wherein the third formation stitch line is partially folded over the second formation stitch line and the fourth formation stitch line is folded over the fifth formation stitch line. 
     
     
         6 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein each of the gussets extend towards a lateral center of the jacket. 
     
     
         7 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic band is not directly attached to the plurality of the insulated panels. 
     
     
         8 . The jacket of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the active-insulation paneling component comprises a first material layer and a second material layer;   each of the insulated panels is defined between the first material layer and the second material layer;   each of the gussets is formed from folded portions of the first material layer and the second material layer; and   expansion of the gussets occurs due to the gussets at least partially unfolding in response to the pulling force.   
     
     
         9 . A jacket comprising:
 a torso portion having a front side and a back side, the torso portion including a plurality of insulated segments extending laterally;   a right sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a left sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a collar;   an active-insulation paneling component incorporated into the back side of the torso portion and attached at least one of the plurality of laterally extending insulated segments, wherein the active-insulation paneling component includes alternating insulated panels and gussets, each of the insulated panels and gussets extending in a vertical direction, the insulated panels including:
 a first insulated panel positioned on a left half of the jacket; 
 a second insulated panel positioned to the left of the first insulated panel, the first insulated panel at least partially overlapping the second insulated panel; 
 a third insulated panel positioned on a right half of the jacket; and 
 a fourth insulated panel positioned to the right of the third insulated panel, the third insulated panel at least partially overlapping the fourth insulated panel; 
   the gussets including:
 a first gusset, formed between the first insulated panel and the second insulated panel, wherein a fold of the first gusset points towards a lateral center of the jacket; 
 a second gusset, formed between the third insulated panel and the fourth insulated panel, wherein a fold of the second gusset points towards the center of the jacket; and 
   an elastic band directly attached to each of the gussets,   wherein the active-insulation paneling component is configured to expand from a closed state to an expanded state upon application of a pulling force, due to movement of at least one of the right sleeve or the left sleeve, to reduce range-of-motion restrictions of the jacket, and   wherein the elastic band is configured to assist with retraction of the active-insulation paneling component from the expanded state to the closed state.   
     
     
         10 . The jacket of  claim 9 , wherein active-insulation paneling component is attached to at least two of the right sleeve, the left sleeve, and the collar. 
     
     
         11 . The jacket of  claim 9 , wherein the first insulated panel and the second insulated panel are joined together by a continuous finishing stitch line running through the first insulated panel and the second insulated panel. 
     
     
         12 . The jacket of  claim 11 , wherein the third insulated panel and the fourth insulated panel are joined together by the finishing stitch line. 
     
     
         13 . The jacket of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first gusset includes a first central stitch line and a first fold formed along the first central stitch line;   the second gusset includes a second central stitch line and a second fold formed along the second central stitch line; and   wherein expansion of the active-insulation paneling component from the closed state to the expanded state causes the first fold and the second fold to at least partially unfold.   
     
     
         14 . A jacket comprising:
 a torso portion having a front side and a back side, the torso portion including a first laterally extending insulated segment and a second laterally extending segment adjacent to the first laterally extending insulated segment;   a right sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a left sleeve attached to the torso portion;   a first vertically extending insulated panel positioned on a left half of the jacket, the first vertically extending insulated panel being connected to the first laterally extending insulated segment;   a second vertically extending insulated panel positioned to the left of the first vertically extending insulated panel, the first vertically extending insulated panel at least partially overlapping the second vertically extending insulated panel, and the second vertically extending insulated panel being connected to the first laterally extending insulated segment;   a first gusset formed between the first vertically extending insulated panel and the second vertically extending insulated panel, the first gusset having a first fold running along a length of the first gusset;   a third vertically extending insulated panel positioned on a right half of the jacket, the third vertically extending insulated panel being connected to the first laterally extending insulated segment;   a fourth vertically extending insulated panel positioned to the right of the third vertically extending insulated panel, the third vertically extending insulated panel insulated panel at least partially overlapping the fourth vertically extending insulated panel, and the fourth vertically extending insulated panel being connected to the first laterally extending insulated segment;   a second gusset formed between the third vertically extending insulated panel and the fourth vertically extending insulated panel, the second gusset having a second fold running along a length of the second gusset; and   an elastic band directly attached to each of the first gusset and the second gusset,   wherein the first gusset and the second gusset are configured to expand, upon application of a pulling force due to movement of at least one of the right sleeve or the left sleeve, to reduce range-of-motion restrictions of the jacket, and   wherein the elastic band is configured to assist with retraction of the active-insulation paneling component from the expanded state to the closed state.   
     
     
         15 . The jacket of  claim 14 , wherein the first vertically extending insulated panel and the second vertically extending insulated panel are joined together by a continuous finishing stitch line running through the first vertically extending insulated panel and the second vertically extending insulated panel. 
     
     
         16 . The jacket of  claim 15 , wherein the third vertically extending insulated panel and the fourth vertically extending insulated panel are joined together by the finishing stitch line. 
     
     
         17 . The jacket of  claim 14 , wherein a minimum length for each of the first, second, third, and fourth vertically extending insulated panels is at least one-fourth a length of the jacket measured from a top of the jacket to a bottom of the jacket at an end opposite of a collar. 
     
     
         18 . The jacket of  claim 14 , wherein the first gusset and the second gusset point towards a lateral center of the jacket. 
     
     
         19 . The jacket of  claim 14 , wherein the first laterally extending insulated segment is positioned below the first vertically extending insulated panel, the second vertically extending insulated panel, the third vertically extending insulated panel, and the fourth vertically extending insulated panel.